Introduction: Paramedics often experience psychological distress as part of their daily work. To cope with this stress many paramedics turn to their intimate partner for support. While discussing traumatic experiences may be a beneficial coping strategy for paramedics, exposure to the details of traumatic experiences can leave partners vulnerable to developing secondary traumatic stress. Despite substantial research focusing on reducing stress and improving support for paramedics, few studies have investigated the trauma experiences and support needs of their partners. This may be particularly relevant to partners of Critical Care Paramedics, who may experience a greater severity of secondary traumatic stress due to potentially increased exposure to traumatic incidents.
Methods: This program of research will begin with a systematic literature review to synthesise current evidence and identify knowledge gaps regarding secondary traumatic stress in partners of paramedics. Next, a mixed-methods survey will determine the severity of secondary traumatic stress in partners of paramedics and Critical Care Paramedics. Finally, an intervention targeting the specific needs of partners of paramedics will be developed and piloted with the aim to reduce secondary traumatic stress severity in this population.
Results: Preliminary results from an initial literature review suggest that: (1) paramedic work-induced stress can be transferred to the paramedics’ home environment, (2) critical incident stress experienced by paramedics can lead to secondary traumatic stress in their partners, and (3) partners of paramedics perceive that little support is available to them.
Conclusion: Our research will improve support provided to paramedics’ most trusted support person, their intimate partner. By reducing secondary traumatic stress in partners of paramedics, organisations could improve this vital support network that appears central to their paramedics’ wellbeing. This may, in turn, reduce critical incident stress, burnout, and improve staff retention.